PLANO,
Texas, June 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota Motor
North America (TMNA) today announced executive changes designed to
drive continued growth, advance its commitment to vehicle
electrification and building where it sells, and prepare for the
future of mobility. The following Research & Development,
Manufacturing and Product Support changes are effective
July 3, 2023.
Promotions:
Mike Sweers, senior vice
president, Product Development Office and Global Truck executive
chief engineer, has been promoted to executive vice president,
Toyota Motor North America, Research & Development (TMNA
R&D) and chief technology officer, reporting to Ted Ogawa, CEO, TMNA. Sweers will be responsible
for North American vehicle research and development. He is also
appointed to the TMNA North American Executive Committee. Sweers
assumes the core responsibilities previously held by Shinichi Yasui as the head of R&D and who
recently became Chief Project Leader, Hydrogen Factory, at Toyota
Motor Corporation.
Susan Elkington,
president, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK), has been
promoted to senior vice president, Electric Vehicle Supply. In this
newly created role, Susan will be responsible for accelerating the
company's electrified transformation, with a focus on battery and
electric vehicle production and supply strategy. Elkington will
report to Takefumi Shiga, executive
vice president, Engineering and Manufacturing, TMNA.
Kerry Creech, vice
president, Manufacturing, TMMK, has been promoted to president,
TMMK. In this role, Kerry will oversee Toyota's largest plant in
the world as it prepares for future BEV production. Creech will
report to Elkington.
New Assignments:
Chris Nielsen, executive
vice president, Product Support and chief quality officer, TMNA,
and member of the TMNA North American Executive Committee, assumes
additional responsibility for North American purchasing and
supplier development. Robert Young,
group vice president, Purchasing Supplier Development, will report
to Nielsen.
Norm Bafunno, senior vice
president, Unit Manufacturing and Engineering, assumes the title of
Senior Manufacturing Executive. In this expanded role, he will
advise Shiga, helping lead the company's manufacturing
transformation strategy while continuing his responsibilities
overseeing all North American unit plants. Bafunno will continue to
report to Shiga.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the
cultural fabric in North America
for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable,
next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus
our more than 1,800 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs more than 48,000 people in North America who have contributed to the
design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and
trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota's
14th plant in North
Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for
electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road
than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 22 electrified
options.
Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights
the way it partners with community, civic, academic and
governmental organizations to address our society's most pressing
mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move,
anything is possible. For more information about Toyota,
visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.
TMNA R&D
For more than 50 years, Toyota Motor
North America Research & Development (TMNA R&D) has led
engineering for several of the best-selling Toyota vehicles on U.S.
roads. Teams are now creating both next-generation vehicles and new
and advanced mobility concepts that can better move people, goods
and information. Toyota's innovation has produced more patents from
the United States Patent and Trademark Office than any other
automaker for the past 9 consecutive years (3,056 in 2022).
Centered in Ann Arbor, Michigan,
TMNA R&D is pursuing Toyota's mission to "Produce Happiness for
All" by making life safer, easier and more enjoyable. Globally,
Toyota spends approximately $1
million per hour on R&D to ensure that Toyota rapidly
and continuously develops cutting-edge, high-quality, and appealing
vehicles.
Media Contact:
Ed Hellwig
469-292-1165
edward.hellwig@toyota.com
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SOURCE Toyota Motor North America